Six-time convicted felon, gang member arrested in Montana for first degree murder

HARDIN, MT - On Saturday, May 19, in the early morning hours, the Big Horn County Sheriff's Office arrested a wanted man out Washington who had a felony warrant for murder.

36-year-old Jacob Ozuna was arrested in Hardin, Montana near the Town Pump gas station. This was a joint effort with information about the suspect provided by the United States Marshalls Service. Deputy Jeramie Middlestead and his trainee Jason Thompson arrested the suspect with minimal force after a short foot pursuit in Hardin. No one was injured and the suspect is in custody of the sheriff's office.

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5-17-18 UPDATE:

TOPPENISH, WA - Yakima County Sheriff's deputies say murder suspect Jacob Ozuna is considered armed and dangerous. The six-time convicted felon and known Norteno gang member is a suspect in a brutal murder last Thursday in Toppenish.

Deputies say 36-year-old Ozuna shot and killed 35-year-old Dario Alvarado. On May 10, Alvarado had friends over to his house on Winaway Road and Track Road. Witnesses say Ozuna Alvarado, who know each other, had an argument in which Ozuna took out a gun and started shooting at Alvarado.

Alvarado tried to hide behind a car that had two people inside, but they started the car and drove off. Ozuna continued to shoot at Alvarado, hitting him multiple times.

Deputies tell us they are now trying to get a hold of those two witnesses that were in the car.

"We're trying to find them to ask them question regarding why it happened, who else was there as witnesses," said Casey Shilperoot, PIO for the Yakima County Sheriff's Office. "We're having difficulty finding them because they may not want to talk to the police at this time. They might be waiting until Jacob Ozuna is in custody first."

Ozuna was released from jail in March and violated his parole, which placed a warrant out for his arrest. Now that he is the main suspect in this fatal shooting, his warrant has gone up to $1 million.

Police believe Ozuna might be with a 20-year-old female who is wanted for other crimes.

Anyone with information is asked to contact YSO or Crime Stoppers.

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5-16-18 ORIGINAL STORY:

WAPATO, WA – On Thursday, May 10 at about 6:00 p.m., one man shot another man multiple times after an argument and fled, leaving the gunshot victim to succumb to his wounds and die.

The Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, Yakima Nation Police Department, and the Wapato Police Department responded to a shooting scene at a house in the 100 block of Winaway Road, Wapato with a victim who was possibly not breathing. The 35-year-old victim, identified as Dario Alvarado III, was struggling to breathe, but soon succumbed to the multiple gunshot wounds to the head and torso.

Witnesses at the scene explained to deputies and detectives that Alvarado was having a gathering at a friend’s residence before moving to the west side of Washington. Alvarado confronted 36-year-old Jacob Ozuna in the driveway, where he and Ozuna had a verbal argument and Ozuna pulled out a handgun and shot Alvarado in the face area. Alvarado fled to cover behind another occupied vehicle and Ozuna continued to shoot at the vehicle until the driver fled, exposing Alvarado. Ozuna continued to shoot at him, striking him numerous times. At one point Ozuna grabbed another loaded pistol in his vehicle and continued to shoot at Alvarado from inside his truck.

After Alvarado went down and he stopped shooting, Ozuna fled in his pickup truck, which was later found abandoned in an orchard about 6 miles from where the shooting happened. The truck was secured by the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, but Ozuna is still at large.

Deputies and officers have been following up on leads to get Ozuna into custody. He has a $1,000,000 warrant for his arrest for Murder in the First Degree, 2 counts of Assault in the First Degree and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. He also is wanted for a Department of Corrections Escape Community Custody Warrant.

He was being supervised for an October 2016 incident in which he was convicted of violating a domestic violence court order at his ex-girlfriend’s residence in Yakima. He forced his way into the residence assaulting another subject with a crowbar. He was convicted of Burglary in the First Degree – Domestic Violence. When he was released into DOC Community Custody he failed to comply with his conditions.

Ozuna is a documented “Norteno” gang member. He is known by law enforcement and his acquaintances by his gang moniker, “Kapone”.

Jacob Ozuna (DOB: 04-20-1982) is a 36-year-old Hispanic male; he is 5’08” and about 155 lbs. He has brown eyes and brown hair. He had a shaved head with a longer patch of hair in the back when he was last seen. He has numerous tattoos on his body. He has face, chest, neck, hands and arm tattoos.

He has an extensive criminal history and is a 6-time convicted felon.

He has been convicted of the following crimes;

Burglary in the First Degree

Burglary in the Second Degree

Theft in the First Degree

Escape in the Second Degree

Residential Burglary

Taking a Motor Vehicle Without Permission

Violation of a Domestic Violence No Contact Order

Numerous misdemeanor traffic offenses

He may be with a wanted female, Mikeyla L. Polk (DOB-12-29-1997). She is a Native American female. She is 5-01, about 125 lbs. She has brown eyes and long brown hair. Polk is wanted for a City of Yakima misdemeanor warrant for MIP/MIC.

Ozuna is armed and dangerous. He may have sought treatment after the incident on the weekend at Harborview Medical Center. He has numerous relatives and friends in Yakima County. He also has relatives in Sedro-Woolley and Mount Vernon, Washington.

Anyone with information about the incident or his whereabouts is being asked to call the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office at (509) 574-2500 or Crime Stoppers.

KENNEWICK: National police week falls on May 15th each year and recognizes the service of U.S law enforcement. Today at Columbia Park local law enforcement agencies came together to recognize those who have served, and also those who may have died during a line of duty. At the memorial not only did the Kennewick Police Chief, Ken Hohenberg speak, but also a couple other former law enforcement officers. Kennewick Police Chief, Ken Hohenberg wants to not only recogni...More >>

KENNEWICK: National police week falls on May 15th each year and recognizes the service of U.S law enforcement. Today at Columbia Park local law enforcement agencies came together to recognize those who have served, and also those who may have died during a line of duty. At the memorial not only did the Kennewick Police Chief, Ken Hohenberg speak, but also a couple other former law enforcement officers. Kennewick Police Chief, Ken Hohenberg wants to not only recogni...More >>